Nemo Link, the joint venture between Belgium’s Elia and National Grid UK that will operate the first electricity interconnection between Belgium and the UK, has started laying the first 59km of double subsea cable between the UK onshore landing point and the French offshore section.
The cable was this week successfully pulled-in at the beach of Pegwell Bay in Kent. Prior to the installation, the subsea cable was transferred from a cargo vessel to Deep Ocean’s Maersk Connector at the port of Blyth at the end of August.
After the load-out, the Maersk Connector set path to Pegwell Bay where, at a 9km distance from the shore, two 10km sections of the double 59km subsea cable were transpooled to the second cable laying vessel.
Both vessels then started laying the cable in opposite directions: the BoDo Installer headed towards the UK landing point, while the Maersk Connector moved in the direction of the French territorial waters. The majority of the UK part for the subsea interconnector has been installed, Elia said.
The remaining 71km of double subsea cable will be installed in Belgium territorial waters during spring 2018.
The electricity interconnector is scheduled to be taken into use early 2019, allowing two way energy flows between the UK and Belgium.